Reduction Carving and Printing
Artwork and instructions by Chris Puls
Click on thumbnail for a closer look.

 

Supply List

Carving block
Graphic image
Scrap of foam with a straight edge
Carving tools
Inexpensive wood picture frame
Thumbtacks or tape
Preferred Inks (any ink can be used but dye inks are less sticky)

Procedure:

Step 1:  Building the "jig" - This photo shows a jig I made from an inexpensive wooden photo frame. I removed the back that would normally hold the photo into the frame. I glued this to the front of the frame. This now provides a stable base for the stamp to rest on when the prints are being made. The depth of the frame is important. Here I used some 1/4" fun foam to add some depth to the stamp. It also gave me a straight edge to position against the inside edge/corner of the frame. The thickness of the PZ Kut and foam was perfect for this frame and positioned the surface of the stamp flush with the top edge of the frame (as it is shown).

Next, position your paper. For my prints, I lined up the edges of the paper with the outside edges of the frame and put two push pins through the paper into the wood of the frame. I then used these two holes for all subsequent pages. The first time you position the papers, it can be hard to find the holes in the frame, but after the first time, once the holes are established, the positioning goes quickly.

Note that the swelling of the paper from the liquid ink can cause some slight misalignment as image layers and additional ink are added to the paper. Using thicker paper/cardstock helps reduce this problem. Selecting images (such as the tree) that don't have defined edges or using an image that will have wide dark lines (that cover the alignment areas between the colors) can help as well.

 

Step 2:  Now that you have the jig ready, you need to prepare the rubber for carving. I don't have a photo of this step, but just imagine a tree image on the PZ Kut rubber :-) This photo shows the stamp inked in yellow after I carved away what I wanted to remain the paper color (the white places on the stamp). The dark areas on the stamp are from the original image transfer to the rubber. I used the acetone method mentioned below to transfer my image but that may or may not work for you (see below for transfer options). I prefer PZ Kut for detail, but there are many options when it comes to rubber to carve. It also shows how the fun foam was used to create a straight edge on a stamp I had carved to the edge of the image. I used an all purpose glue to attach the foam to the rubber and let it dry overnight.

Note: If your image needs to be placed precisely on the paper, you may want to do the stamp and THEN figure the placement of the paper/pins on the jig. My image didn't need to be precise so I positioned my paper first and let the rubber I carved stamp where the paper happened to hit it in the jig.

There are multiple ways that the image can be transferred to the rubber.

Draw the image directly on the block. Text needs to be reversed for this method. Using the other methods below will reverse the text automatically. Regardless of the transfer method, if the text on the block is not reversed, it will print backwards.

Print the image on a copier or printer, trace the lines with a pencil, put the image face side down so the pencil lines are on the rubber and then rub all over the back with a pencil lead or bone folder. The pressure will cause the pencil lines to transfer to the rubber. It can help to go over the pencil lines on the block with a pen or permanent marker to reduce smudging.

Print the image on a copier or printer, place it printed side down on the rubber, dab some acetone (nail polish remover) on a small spot on the back till the paper is wet and press on that wet spot with your finger for about 2 seconds. Repeat the process till the whole image is transferred being sure not to move the paper till the process is complete. Note that due to the composition of some inks and printing processes, not all will transfer using acetone so I recommend trying a small sample on some scrap rubber.

Print the image using a copier or printer, place it face down on the rubber and heat with an clothing iron through the paper. Be sure the iron doesn't touch any part of the rubber (cover it all with paper). This does not work with all inks or printing processes so I recommend trying a small sample on some scrap rubber.

Print the image on an overhead transparency and place the image face down on the rubber carefully so the ink doesn't smear. Remove the transparency and let the ink on the stamp dry over night or several hours before carving.

Step 3:  Once you have the image on the rubber, you are ready to carve. I prefer Speedball #1 V blade, but some people carve with other V or U shaped blades or even Exacto blades. You will start by carving away any part of the image that you want to be the paper color (in this case a cloud print paper). When you remove the rubber through carving, it won't pick up ink in those spots so the paper will show through.

In order to understand the process, think of this as adding the color to the paper first and then carving away the parts of the stamp you want to be that color. By doing this, those spots don't get stamped with the next color. In this picture, you can see what the print/carving looks like stamped in yellow (the first ink color). You can also see where I carved away the outline and a small spot in the tree before inking so that the paper shows through. After stamping the yellow on ALL the papers/copies, you are ready to carve away the spots on the stamp that you want to remain yellow on the print. In other words, anywhere on the stamp that you DON'T want the next color to cover up the yellow you already stamped. BE SURE you have made as many prints as you need because you can't go back and do more later! Also stamp extra prints to allow for mistakes (these can always be made into RAK's later if all the prints are successful).

Step 4:  Here you see the parts I want to remain yellow carved away (the places you see the white rubber below the surface of the stamp). Here, the stamp is inked in the next color (orange). The black areas on the stamp are from the original image transfer and not part of the inking process.

 

Step 5:  To add the orange to the paper in exactly the same place as the previous yellow, I used the jig. I placed the stamp (ink side up) in the same place in the jig and the paper in the same place as the first time by using the pin holes. I carefully dropped the paper (print side down) on top of the stamp and rubbed it from the backside of the paper to help get the ink on the paper evenly. You can see in this print that there are now two layers of ink on the leaf part of the tree except where it was already carved away. The trunk doesn't show up in the print because it wasn't inked)

 

Step 6:  After I stamped the orange on ALL the pages, I carved away what I wanted to remain orange, because when I carve away the rubber, it won't pick up and transfer the next color to those spots. Here you see the print after I carved away what I wanted to keep orange and after I inked and printed the next color (red). Again, the trunk of the tree was not inked so it doesn't show up on the print.

 

Step 7:  In this print, I have removed all the areas I wanted to stay red, then inked the stamp in brown (the final color) and printed the pages with the brown (including the trunk).

 

 

Step 8: Here you can see I added "snow" by putting super fine glitter on cut/shaped cardstock and covering it with clear tape before gluing it to the print. The scan doesn't really show the sparkling effect very well. I also framed it using a snowflake print paper. (Sunni, this photo is attached)

 

 

Reduction carving is easier once you understand the concept of printing the color on the page and then carving that color away from the image before adding the next color ink.

Carve something! You'll learn a lot by doing.
Chris Puls

VOTE for our site! Click on the graphic below!

Copyright 2006 Chris Puls
Last revised: May 16, 2006.
Webmistress: Sunni Bergeron